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The old man went down to the regions of Alexandria where he fell seriously ill. His disciples said to each other, ‘Perhaps one of us has annoyed the old man, and that is the reason why he has gone away from us?’ But they found nothing with which to reproach themselves nor any disobedience. Once he was better, the old man said, ‘I will return to my Fathers.’
Going upstream again, he came to Petra where his disciples . . .[met him]. Then, when they threw themselves at his feet, the old man fell down with them also and they wept together. The old man said to them, ‘Did you not hear that I was ill?’ They answered, ‘Yes.’ ‘Then,’ he continued, ‘why did you not come to see me?’ Abba Alexander said, ‘Your going from us has not been good for us, and many have not been edified by it, saying, “If they had not disobeyed the old man, he would not have left them.” ‘ Abba Arsenius said, ‘On the other hand, they will now be saying, “The dove, not finding anywhere to rest, returned to Noah in the ark.” ‘ So they were confronted and he remained with them till his death.